The Circuit Jules Tachény at Mettet, Belgium, yesterday played host to the first TCR Open Day that was attended by more than 500 guests.
The event was mainly intended as an opportunity offered to teams and drivers who are interested in joining one of the TCR racing series next year, to meet the representatives of car manufacturers and engineering companies, plus the promoters of the national championships in Europe that have either already adopted the TCR regulations or will do from next year: Benelux, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia and Spain.
Two press conferences served to launch the TCR European Trophy and the TCR Benelux Championship.
And during the whole day 25 drivers coming from all over Europe had their first taste of a TCR machine, driving on the track at the wheel of Honda Civic and SEAT León cars run by JAS Motorsport and Bas Koeten Racing respectively.
A small exhibition of TCR cars was also set up in the paddock with the new Opel Astra, Volkswagen Golf and Subaru STi alongside Honda and SEAT.
Marcello Lotti, promoter of the TCR concept, commented: “The participation was even larger than expected. We were literally overwhelmed by the influx of people who were asking for information or wanted to book tests and meetings. Indeed it was such a successful event that, by general request, we are thinking of organising an Open Day twice a year, at the beginning and the end of the season.”
